Tuesday, December 7, 2010

How Relief Tiles are Made

I recently visited the factory that makes many of our tiles and got to see how relief tiles are made. Each piece is handmade and I gained a new appreciation and understanding for relief tiles. During the next few months, we'll be featuring tiles from this factory in our blog, newsletter and site. Today's post shows how relief tiles are made and highlights our Antigua Colonial relief tile line.

Bathroom Installation - Colonial Antigua Rust Capuchinas

Colonial Antigua Rust Capuchinas Relief Tile

All tiles in the Antigua Colonial line come in one of four glazes: rust, sand, blue green, and green. The glaze creates a satin gloss on the flat areas and a matte effect on the relief areas. From the installation and product photo (above), you can see these tiles create a striking contrast with the glaze and texture of the relief. Now let's look at how these tiles are made. You'll have a better appreciation for the craftsmanship that is required to create each tile by hand, one at a time.

The Design & Concept StageAn artist usually sketches the initial concept for a relief tile to find the most promising design. To create a mold, the pattern is carved into wood. The initial patterns may be carved from plaster until relief details are finalized by the artist. Once the design is approved, the pattern will be carved into wood and a mold created from the impression.

A Relief Tile Mold - Colonial Antigua Capuchinas Relief Deco

The Manufacturing ProcessOnce you have a mold, the relief tiles are created following these steps:

Clay is prepared

Clay is worked into the mold

Excess clay from mold is removed for a level tile back

Clay body is pulled from mold

Detail of artisan pulling tile from mold

The relief tile! After drying, it will be glazed and fired.

You can appreciate the time and labor that goes into creating each relief tile. Don't forget the tile still needs to be glazed and fired. You can understand why these tiles are so unique and truly a labor of love.